A brother's pride
by JupiterGodess
Summary: Soul of Gold Fluff about the two great brother Sagittarius and Leo. Aiolia has grown into a warrior an older brother could only be proud of.


**A brother's pride**

I run as fast as I can.

The snow-covered ground of Asgard flies past beneath my feet. Icy air blows against me. With the protection of Yggdrasil having disappeared minutes ago, the cold returned.

A while ago, I have left Valhalla palace and Lady Hilda. With gratitude I think of Asgard's princess. She and her servants had found me, half dead from my fight against Andreas - no, Loki - and treated my wounds. Now, my strenght is restored and I dash through the cold land, for there is a task waiting for me. Again I am surprised how smoothly my body obeyes me. One should have thought after thirteen years of death, I would have more trouble. Or that I would be reborn in the body of a fourteen-year-old. But no. Odin has mercifully granted me a strong body in the age I would have reached hadn't I died.

That directs my thoughts towards the matters at hand again. Battles are raging. I could feel them while recuperating. All my comrades, breaking through to Yggdrasil and making their way through its seven chambers. But one after another gets absorbed by the damned tree. Aiolia, however, manages to prevail.

Aiolia… little brother…

I need to hurry. He's confronting Loki all alone. Before, Saga, Shaka, Dohko and Mu had been with him. I have felt their powerful Cosmos and their Athena Exclamation. However, that had not been against the trickster god, and now they're gone too. Aiolia tries his best against him on his own.

Aiolia…

For a moment, I allow myself a pang of of regret. Us Gold Saints have been given this new chance at life, but only now I'll be able to finally meet Aiolia. I wish I could have travelled through Asgard with him. However, my fight against Loki had prevented me from meeting up with him. Now, as I sprint across the frozen ground, I can't get there fast enough. I can't wait to finally see him again. After all, it's been such a long time in which he haven't seen each other.

Yggdrasil draws closer. As I close the remaining distance, thoughts of my brother dominate my mind. Somehow, by awakening the Eight Sense, the essence of Cosmos, I had been able to store a little of my energy in my armour and the Ninth House at Sanctuary. That way, I had been able to keep track of things even from the realm of the dead. I had been able to watch Aiolia's growth and development, along with so many other things, like the battles that Athena and her Bronze Saints had to go through. It pains me greatly that I hadn't been there for my little brother during all that time.

But now I will. In this final battle, we will be united again. My only wish is that we could have had more time. Our moment in front of the Wailing Wall had been short enough.

I reach the plateau. And instantly see the two figures. Aiolia, without his Leo Cloth. Loki, in his own armor, fully awakened, raises three pointy roots from the gound to stab my brother.

Oh no you don't.

In a split second I raise my arms and concentrate my Cosmos. It forms a bow in my left hand and an arrow in my right. Then I let the arrow fly. It hits the deadly roots aiming for my brother and shatters them to pieces.

„It's not over yet!", I shout my challenge at Loki as I lower the bow.

I step behind Aiolia, whose back is to me, and look down at him. Pride starts to swell in my chest. Aiolia has become a fine Saint and man, despite all the hardships he had had to go through.

,Little brother… I am so sorry. I hadn't been able to protect you, even thought I had vowed it.'

All I manage is that thought. For my emotions are too strong for any words.

„Sorry I'm late", I only can say.

„Brother…"

Aiolia sounds incredulous. Slowly he turns his head. „Is it really… really you, brother Aiolos?"

Our eyes meet, and I have a warm smile on my face. I am so happy to see him again. And now that I can inspect him more closely, I have to say he does look like a mighty fine Saint. Hell, he looks a lot like me. Except for the glimpse at the Wailing Wall, the last time I have seen him he had still been a boy. But now, he has become strong. As strong as I had always felt he'd become. I have felt his strenght in his burning Cosmos. Ah, he has done so well, my little brother. A great man in body and mind. One who makes my chest wanna burst with a large bubble of pride.

Then I find the right words for my emotions. Short, because time presses, but I think they're perfect. „Look at you all grown up, Aiolia."

„Adelphos… I… I…"

Aw, Aiolia… he has tears swimming in his eyes. Not that I blame him – my sentiments are running high as well. Alas, there is no time. I can only add what I want to tell him the most. The biggest reason for my pride of him.

„Despite being all alone… you've fought well." I lay a comforting hand on his shoulder and hope it conveyes my feelings. „But… you're no longer alone."

„Sagittarius… so you were alive…"

Loki's words interrupt me. I turn towards him, angry that he ended so rudely my conversation with my brother. I really, really want to tell Aiolia so many things. Alas… the last battle is waiting. The Earth needs to be saved. Maybe, once it's over, I can exchange a few more words with my brother outside of battle. Until then…

One last confrontation to be won. At least I can fight at the side of a man of whom an older brother only could be proud of.


End file.
